Repairs - legal action
We’re here to provide -
- safe
- sustainable
- well-maintained
homes. Disrepair is when something we’re responsible for, has not been repaired within a reasonable time of it being reported to us. If that happens, we have let you down and not met our own standards.
If you are considering submitting a legal disrepair claim, we would recommend in the first instance to report –
- any repairs online
- telephone - 01482 300 300
If you are unhappy with the repairs service submit or progress a complaint.
Recently we have seen an increase in tenants instructing solicitors (either directly or through claims management companies who knock on doors in your area, social media or leaflets), to begin a disrepair legal claim on their behalf. These firms are in no way associated with or working on behalf of us. This can be a stressful process, and it can take a long time for a claim to be resolved. There are other ways which might -
- take less time
- cost less
- be less stressful
for you and we would encourage you to consider those before resorting to a legal action.
It can be tempting, especially when many people are struggling with rising costs to enter a contract with a claims management company with promises of financial awards. However, these companies are not always as they all may seem.
Many solicitors act under a ‘no win, no fee’ type arrangement. However, some of those types of arrangements contain what is known as a ‘success fee’. That is, if you succeed with your claim and compensation (or damages) is payable to you, the solicitors may keep a percentage, if not all that money.
It is also possible that not all the costs incurred with a solicitor will be recovered from the landlord. You could be responsible for paying any difference and this could be hundreds or thousands of pounds.
Sometimes, you must pay for an insurance premium, to protect you from a large costs bill if you lose your case. If you do not arrange insurance, then you may find that you must pay all the solicitor’s fees yourself.
Benefits of raising a complaint
Benefits of submitting a complaint through our internal complaints process, as opposed to submitting a legal disrepair claim -
- minimised risk of repairs being delayed
- this can be the case when a claim has been submitted (except for emergency repairs) or when repairs have been raised as part of a legal disrepair claim as we must liaise with your legal representative which can cause delays
- quicker resolution - claims can take a long time to be resolved, however, our internal complaints process ensures that we work to specific time frames to provide a response
- 10 working days for a response at Stage 1
- 20 working days for a response at Stage 2
- less stress, when dealing with any complaint through our internal complaints process, we promise that we will -
- keep you informed
- treat you fairly
- look into your case fully and properly. There may be expectation for you to be more heavily involved when progressing with a legal claim
- no costs - there are no costs involved for you when progressing a complaint through our internal complaints system
- next steps - if you remain dissatisfied once our internal complaints process has been completed, there are clear next steps you can take, such as contacting the Local, Independent Tenant Complaints Panel or contacting the Housing Ombudsman